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There are some essential things you should remember when you are going hitchhiking. [[Hitchwiki:About|Hitchwiki]] suggests you keep these in mind when starting your career as an enthusiastic thumber: [[File:Warsaw-poznan.JPG|thumb|250px|left|You'll be seeing a lot of this.]]
== Take the most used route ==
== [[Where to hitchhike|Be in a good, safe spot]] ==
[[File:Warsaw-poznan.JPG|thumb|right|250px|left|You'll be seeing a lot of this.]]
[[File:Amylin_hitching_northern_ca.jpg|thumb|250px|left|This could be a good spot. You're easily visible, the drivers slow down at the junction, and there is an obvious place for them to stop.]]
It is basically possible to hitchhike from every place, just keep a single rule of thumb in mind: The faster the cars the more space for the cars to stop is needed.
If you can, don’t wear your old clothes or clothes that might frighten a driver (such as a T-shirt with a skull). Conservative people only take well shaved guys with proper clothes. Liberal-minded people always take you, but even conservative (or old) people can be very helpful on your trip. (I don't think this is of overwhelming importance. I often hitch wearing red tartan pants, punk/metal t shirts and black leather boots and I get rides just as often as the next guy!)
Avoid wearing black. (Not really, it had positive impact (in comparison with a similar trip some time before) on one of my over-Europe hikes where I got on road wearing completely black clothes. Even women were picking me up regularly on that trip.) Even having a smart black shirt could keep you stuck in one place for a long time. Some have found that caps might have a negative impact. (Though Simon from [[Sweden]], with shaved head and beard found it much easier wearing a cap always, because people seem to be afraid of people with shaved heads.) Black or blue woolly hats are awful too. If the weather permits, wear light coloured shorts and a bright colourful t-shirt or a smart short sleeved shirt. Although you may have no choice on whether you have luggage, some hold that hitching without luggage is quicker as the driver knows you're not concealing anything. But some drivers think that carrying a backpack makes you more of a traveler and will only pick up people with backpacks (e.g. [[User:Guaka|Guaka]] and [[User:Amylin|amylin]] experienced this in [[New Zealand]]). Making your traveling backpack visible could prove to be an advantage as you will have more chances of not being perceived as a threat, as it is harder to run away with so much weight in case you steal or damage something.Stuart at http://lookingforstu.com swears by a Superman T-shirt. It's bright, colourful and is a universal symbol of hope and peace. The amount of times drivers have said that is the reason they picked him up is astounding!
== [[Signs]] ==
# Truck drivers: They quite often cannot take anyone legally because of the insurances but always ask them about the possibility. Two persons is more complicated but the bed behind the seats can be good to hide your friend. They are good for overnight trips, as you may ask driver if you can sleep in bed.
== HichHiker Hitchhiker Tips ==This is the section where anyone can write his or her practical tip.My idea is to try and make of it as much sience science as possible so here are some ground rules:
* Everybody are welcome to share their knowledge.
* Read all tips prior to adding on in order to prevent:
a. Writing the same tip.
b. Writing contredicting contradicting tips which may confuse others.If you disagree with a tip been written discuss it on the disscution discussion page.
* Try to add tips base on theories being tested. (Example curves: try do exactly the same on both sides on various occasions and record your time and percentage)
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My hichhiking hitchhiking theory: Hich Hitch hiking is a game of patience and mental strength. Be preperdprepared!Although agree with the article above i believe the vast majorety majority of drivers pick up hich hitch hikers on psycological assosiation base psychological association based on looks and self intereses interest which sometimes seem random. That is why we should do anything we can to maximize our chances by looking as trust worthy and avrage average as we can as well as consider the drivers interest.
* '''The Avrage Average Driver''' - the avrage average driver does not understand in hich hitch hiking and that is why you will get a lot of gestures from drivers indicating they "stay in the area" or "not going far". It does not occure occur to them that even a 10, 5 mile or "only to the next junction" ride will advance you and will have critical positive mental effect.
* '''Clothing & ApperanceAppearance''' - since our goal is to get from point A to B, without importance of who is going to pick us up we want to look as trust worthy or "good, nice, unharmful harmless guys" as we can. That means dressed in quite a popular way to the place you are in. Usually it means shorts/jeans and Tshirt T-shirt (preferably light color) for boys and girls and possibly dress for girls. Of course working according to situation is better, i.e. hich hitch hike to a metal concert you might dress all black with anthrax T-shirt and 10 piercing in your face and probably get a fast, to the spot ride, but the avrage average driver might feel unwilling to stop to someone of "your type" out of prejudice.
* '''Be ready to walk''' - Location is crucial and so it is not rare to walk sometimes a mile or even more to get the best position for your next ride. On the way it is fine to try and stop vehicles.
* '''Curves''' - If you are near a curve it is better stand about 50-100 meters before the curve since the driver can see you from more far and also is already in the need of reducing speed and mainly his only job is just get to a slow, reasonable velocity to enter the curve.
Standing after the curve would reduce you chance since you're being seen only on when the driver is out of the curve and is already in the task of speeding. Less people are likely to step on the break for you once they started speeding.
Standing in the middle is extremly extremely dangerous and the least efficient since the driver is multitasking.
* '''Up & Down Hills''' - If being on hilly topography it is better to stand on the first third of the up hill side. As on curves people are more likely to stop while they are already slowing down.
The top of the hill or close to it wouldnt wouldn't be a good place since the driver is focused on getting to the top.
If a down hill is right after most drivers would not stop for the fun part.
Down hill again is a bad place to try and stop the driver since he is gaining speed and not likely to give up on it.
# Wave the hand in between to passing cars.
# Pointing-moving your thumb every now and then above your shoulder towards the direction.
# Even single a "little" gesture with the two fingers helps, as explained on "the avrage average driver" exiomasection. That is where board usually comes in super handy.
* '''Asking for Ride''' - Dont Don't be afraid to talk to people and ask them directly if you can hop on. Some drivers would not consider taking you, yet by hearing a nice, friendly, polite voice they might will as well as feel a bit more obligation to help you.
===Different VesslesVessels===You should feel comfortable through out the whole way to your destenationdestination. if you feel un comfortable hopin uncomfortable hoping on a spesific vessle specific vessel - dontdon't. As it will tire you out and make a bad expiriance experience for the future. If you feel unsafe with the drivers drive dont don't be ashamed to tell him (i I do ask all motocycle motorcycle rides to drive relatively slow especially on unpaved roads, never needed to tell in a car) he will understand your worry, remember he stopped in order to help and will be nice enough to make you feel comfortable.
* '''Back of a Pick-Up Truck''' - The back of a pick up truck is where you are likely to spend a big chunk of the road. However there is a clear problem of safety. For the driver it might be convinient convenient to tell you to hop on the back and so he wont need to worry from a dangerous hiker or either talk in case he isnt isn't in the mood. It is also an extra space in case the seats are full. On the hiker side you have zero control on what is going on and hop on without at least getting to know if the driver is trust worthy is not recomendedrecommended. You should have a few words with the driver about the way and agree on a place before hands since you wouldnt wouldn't be able to converse once you start driving, knockin knocking on the roof for stop at most. There is also the problem of sitting without safety belt and potentially with unfastten unfasten equipment that might hurt you in case of emegency emergency stop, curves or iresponsible irresponsible driving.
* '''MotocyclesMotorcycles''' - Motocycles and vesspas Motorcycles are somewhat problemaric problematic when it comes to traveling travelling with luggage, yet is possible. It is a good way to travel fast, but just like driving one - even less safe as taking a ride with a car. Try to ask the driver for an extra helmet. Usually not likely to work, but some drivers keep an extra "half halmethelmet" in the box of the vesspa vehicle - not much, but certainly bettee better than nothing. I for instance tend to minimise motocycle motorcycle rides since i feel unsafe with a stranger driver. You might ask to drive slower, but remember driving slower means less balance.
My vision is to have a colective collective grid-table for people to add on theory and different people to add on their tests result and so things would become sientific scientific and clear very fast.Main problem - different cuntriescountries, different cultures.I hope this section is going to evolve because i would love to see others tips and try to find the ultimate hich hitch hiking technicetechnique.
= Related links and references =
{{nomadwiki}}* [http[wikivoyage://wikitravel.org/en/Tips_for_hitchhiking |Tips for Hitchhiking on WikitravelWikivoyage]]
* [http://www.claudioadrianodobre.com/importance-smiling-communication/ The importance of smiling when engaging drivers]
* [http://www.christopherdrifter.com/books/Rules_of_Thumb/ Rules of Thumb] - A free guide to living on the road and hitch-hiking
